Precision Long-Range Shot Secures Coues Deer Success
When I took my hunter education course, the Game and Fish instructor said, “Good luck, you’re going to need it.” I was about 13 years old. A young girl whose father didn’t realize at the time that she was about to become his hunting partner for life. I think that’s the hope for many fathers and mothers who want their kids to engage in hunting and the outdoors. I am now 32 years old and still at it with my dad. The passion I have for the outdoors is because of him. We have both been drawn consistently together over the course of 20 years for Coues deer. Each time we head to Southern Arizona, we are captivated by its beauty and the elusive deer that thrive there on the sky islands. Over the past 20 years, I’ve taken a wide variety of Coues deer. In the last two years, however, I’ve been blessed to harvest my best two bucks to date.
This year, I put in for the late November hunt and drew with my dad. This was a 10-day hunt, which always sounds nice but can be just as tough. Opening week was very hot but started out with a lot of immature bucks. The younger bucks were already rutting. The days carried on. They always go by so fast! Then, on the ninth day, my dad took a great buck, and I was very proud that he got it done. Now it was crunch time, and it still wasn’t over for me.
My fiancé, Justin Poe who guides with G3 Outfitters, along with guides Tate Parker and Chance Womack headed down to get some more eyes on the hills. I was feeling hopeful! These three amigos love being in the glass, so I knew something would turn up. We hunted that ninth evening, but with little daylight, we had to make something happen the next morning. We got up early and headed out to a spot that Chance had pinpointed for us. It didn’t take long for Chance, Tate, and Justin to get me on a buck. They didn’t need to talk about how big he was, I knew when they said to get in the gun that it was about to be on. It was not mentioned to me how far out this buck was. Every deer I’d taken was not more than 300-400 yards. Justin and I had some time practicing long range this year with his Arrowhead Rifle .300 Win Mag. I had to have faith this would help.
For whatever reason, my nerves felt calm when usually my adrenaline is through the roof. No matter how many deer I’ve taken, I’ve always been a bit trigger happy. Not this time. I laid down and got in the scope. I had a hard time locating the buck, but eventually, I spotted him with a younger buck heading up some nasty country. On the first shot, he was heading uphill and I hit right beside his head. Reload. Again, same spot beside his head! After the buck kept going up the mountain, we moved to another spot. Now we had seconds to make something happen or it was over.
I laid back down and relocated. The buck appeared again, and I thought it was him. Slow down, Sarah. It was the smaller buck. Then the big guy presented himself going uphill, and this time, the guys whistled a bit louder and stopped him in his tracks. I centered my sight on his back/ shoulder and let the .300 Win sing. Suddenly, the guys were cheering, “You dropped him.” All I could say was, “Really?” It was then that they told me that I had shot at 950 plus yards. That was news to me! I was elated that I had shot that far and that I didn’t wound him and he expired fast. The Berger bullets proved themselves that morning at 8 a.m., and I proved to myself that with practice, dedication, and staying calm, you can make it happen.
We were all hyped and fist bumped, of course. Now it was time for the fun part! Getting up that steep mountain sucked for me, but heading down with him on my back was rewarding. This deer was a dandy with impressive bladed out eyeguards and some great mass. He was later scored at 98", which was almost right there with my last year’s buck. For me, every deer has been beautiful and unique in their own ways.
We made an awesome team that day, and I really can’t thank Justin, Tate, and Chance enough for their patience with me. They showed up when they didn’t have to, and I’m grateful for them. I hope that in another 20 years I can say I’m still hunting with my pops, my husband, and friends. I only pray that I can pass this on to my future kids one day so that they too can feel the passion I do for the outdoors and these beautiful deer.
My advice to young women who are becoming conservationists (because don’t forget that is what you are) is don’t listen to the instructor when he tries to tell you that you’ll need luck. Luck doesn’t have a thing to do with it. Have fun, cherish the beauty of it all, and shoot straight.